FIFA World Cup 2010 Facts: How Netherlands Beat Uruguay
The Dutch have managed to qualify to their first ever World Cup final match since 1978, they managed to do this by beating Uruguay three goals to two. However there were a few things that were learnt after the match had come to a close.
The World Cup will be heading to Europe. No European team has managed to win the trophy outside of the European continent but all of that looks to change at the end of the current tournament. If the Spanish manage to beat Germany there will be new World Cup winners, since neither Netherlands nor Spain have ever lifted the trophy.
Dirk Kuyt always gives it his best. The Dutch player might not be the most skillful or the fastest player in the world, but when he is on the pitch he always gives it his all. He is capable of playing anywhere the manager wants him to play and he plays there with great effectiveness. Kuyt delivered the cross that led to Robben scoring the most crucial goal of the match. At the end of the match when Uruguay were looking like they were going to snatch in a late equalizer it was Kuyt who ran back to lend an extra hand to his defense. Kuyt will easily be one of the first names on the Dutch squad list for the finals.
The Netherlands side possess skillful players like Robben, Sneijder and Van Persie but what has really seen the Dutch prevail in the tournament so far has been their tough fighting spirit. This rough ruthless side that was never seen before by the attacking and flamboyant Dutch may just be the key to the Dutch going all the way. The Dutch masters know how to win a game of football, they will use any and all means to do so, they will put in ruthless tackles after tackles, play some breathtaking football and even playing dirty if they have to. The Dutch side is currently on par with their 1974 counterparts and will set Dutch history if they manage to use their ruthlessness to go all the way.
To win a game of football, everyone knows you need skill, commitment and luck. The Dutch have all three of these things in abundance. Ever since the first own goal that was scored by Daniel Agger in Holland’s favor, the God’s have been showering down good fortune upon them. Sneijder scored a crucial goal against Japan thanks to a goalkeeping error that the keeper produced after having an otherwise outstanding game.
Another own goal by Mello helped Brazil beat Brazil and make their way to the semi finals. Against Uruguay when the score was tied at one all Sneijder took a shot that hit a defender and span right out of the Uruguayan keepers hand and gave the Dutch the advantage.
Another Dutch player who has been riding his luck throughout is Mark Van Bommel, the tough brutal tackling midfielder went through most of the tournament without picking up a single yellow card. Even though he has constantly been putting in a ridiculous number of tackles resulting in an outrageous number of fouls he has managed to avoid the referee’s wrath through out.
However, having avoided the yellow throughout, he was unusually booked for kicking the ball away in the dying minutes of the match against Uruguay after thinking the referee had blown the whistle to end the match.
Not picking up a card for ruthless tackles and picking them one up for something so minor might indicate that the Dutch’s luck might have or might be on the verge of running out, most Dutch fans would hope this good fortune stays till after the finals, but everyone will have to just wait and see what happens on the eleventh of July.
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